COMMANDERS IN TALKS OVER DIFFERENCES: INDIAN ARMY ON LAC SITUATION

Indian Army Sunday said Indian and Chinese military commanders have been in

talks to address differences over the boundary in eastern Ladakh where

tensions have been running high between the two sides. India has built up

its reserves in depth, besides deploying sufficient troops and equipment,

against the Chinese troops on the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

The Army statement came in the wake of a video clip doing the rounds of

social media, which showed an exchange between Indian and Chinese troops.

Asserting that the video "was not authenticated", it urged the media "not to

air visuals that are likely to vitiate the current situation on the

borders".

"Differences are being addressed through interaction between military

commanders, guided by established protocols on management of borders between

the two countries. We strongly condemn attempts to sensationalise issues

impacting national security. The media is requested not to air visuals that

are likely to vitiate the current situation on the borders," it stated.

NEPAL GOVT TABLES BILL IN PARLIAMENT TO AMEND CONSTITUTION FOR NEW MAP

The Nepal government on Sunday tabled a Constitution amendment Bill in

Parliament aimed at altering the country's map amid a border dispute with

India. Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Shivamaya

Tumbahangphe, on behalf of the government of Nepal, tabled the Bill, a day

after the main Opposition Nepali Congress also backed the legislation.

Nepal recently released the revised political and administrative map of the

country, laying claim over the strategically key areas of Lipulekh, Kalapani

and Limpiyadhura.

India reacted angrily to the move saying such "artificial enlargement" of

territorial claims will not be acceptable and asked the neighbouring country

to refrain from such "unjustified cartographic assertion".

MANN KI BAAT: PM MODI LAUDS PEOPLE-DRIVEN CAMPAIGN AGAINST COVID-19

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday stressed on keeping up the vigil

against coronavirus even though there is a gradual easing of lockdown

restrictions, underlining, that the combat against the pandemic would be a

long haul.

In his monthly radio programme, 'Mann Ki Baat', Modi said that the disease

and its concomitant challenges are new and gigantic to the world community,

including India. He commended the people of India for fighting the disease

unitedly with a fortitude which has helped contain it in a country as

diverse and big as India.

"There is no section in our country unaffected by the difficulties caused by

the affliction - the most gravely affected by the crisis are the

underprivileged labourers and workers. Their agony, their pain, their ordeal

cannot be expressed in words. Who amongst us cannot understand and feel what

they and their families are going through," Modi said.

"The campaign against the disease is people-driven," Modi said, adding that

ennobling and admirable features of the Indian society have surfaced starkly

during the national health crisis.

TWO PAK OFFICIALS CAUGHT SPYING, ASKED TO LEAVE

The government on Sunday said that two officials at the Pakistan High

Commission in New Delhi were caught spying and have been asked to leave the

country within 24 hours.

This is the first time after four years that such an incident of expelling

officials of the Pakistan High Commission has taken place. In October 2016,

India and Pakistan had expelled officials from each other's missions for

spying.

"The Government has declared both these officials persona non grata and

asked them to leave the country within 24 hours," the MEA statement said.

Pakistan's Foreign Ministry condemned the Indian government's decision and

said, "Two staff members of the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi were

lifted by the Indian authorities today (May 31) on false and unsubstantiated

charges. They were, however, released on intervention by the High

Commission. We condemn the detention and torture as well as threatening and

pressuring of the diplomatic officials to accept false charges."

COVID-19 DASHBOARD - (Nos. IN INDIA / Nos. WORLDWIDE)

(Indian data from covid19india / and World Data from

worldometers.info/coronavirus/ )

Total Cases 1,90,611 (+8,795) / 62,63,064 (+1,06,636)

Total Deaths 5,408 (+223) / 3,73,858 (+2,940)

Total Recovered 91,855 (+4,919) / 28,46,523 (+1,11,745)

Active Cases 93,348 (+3,653) / 30,42,683 (-8,049)

Serious / Critical Cases - N.A. / 53,409 (-97)

Top impacted nations so far: (And some of India's Neighbours)

Country, Total Cases / Total Deaths / Recovered Cases / Active

Cases

1 USA 18,37,170 / 1,06,195 /

5,99,867 / 11,31,108

2 Brazil 5,14,849 / 29,314 /

2,06,555 / 2,78,980

3 Russia 4,05,843 / 4,693 /

1,71,883 / 2,29,267

4 Spain 2,86,509 / 27,127 /

1,96,958 / 62,424

5 UK 2,74,762 / 38,489 / N/A

/ N/A

6 Italy 2,32,997 / 33,415 /

1,57,507 / 42,075

7 India 1,90,609 / 5,408 /

91,852 / 93,349

8 France 1,88,882 / 28,802 / 68,355

/ 91,725

9 Germany 1,83,494 / 8,605 /

1,65,200 / 9,689

10 Peru 1,64,476 / 4,506 /

67,208 / 92,762

11 Turkey 1,63,942 / 4,540 /

1,27,973 / 31,429

12 Iran 1,51,466 / 7,797 /

1,18,848 / 24,821

18 Pakistan 69,496 / 1,483 / 25,271

/ 42,742

21 Bangladesh 47,153 / 650 / 9,781

/ 36,722

98 Sri Lanka 1,633 / 10 / 801

/ 822

Top 18 impacted Indian States so far: (Total No. of Confirmed case / No. Of

Deaths)

State / Confirmed Cases / Active Case / Recovered /

Deceased

Maharashtra 67,655 / 36,040 / 29,329 /

2,286

Tamil Nadu 22,333 / 9,400 / 12,757 /

176

Delhi 19,844 / 10,893 / 8,478 / 473

Gujarat 16,794 / 5,837 / 9,919 / 1,038

Rajasthan 8,831 / 2,604 / 6,032 /

195

Madhya Pradesh 8,089 / 2,897 / 4,842

/ 350

Uttar Pradesh 8,075 / 3,015 / 4,843 /

217

West Bengal 5,501 / 3,027 / 2,157 /

317

Bihar 3,807 / 2,264 / 1,520 / 23

Andhra Pradesh 3,571 / 1,169 / 2,340

/ 62

Karnataka 3,221 / 1,950 / 1,218 /

51

Telangana 2,698 / 1,188 / 1,428 /

82

Jammu and Kashmir 2,446 / 1,491 / 927 /

28

Punjab 2,263 / 231 / 1,987 / 45

Haryana 2,091 / 1,023 / 1,048 /

20

Odisha 1,948 / 813 / 1,126 / 9

Assam 1,340 / 1,147 / 186 / 4

Kerala 1,270 / 670 / 590 / 10

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

======================

US CITIES UNDER CURFEW AFTER FRESH ANTI-RACE PROTESTS, LOOTING

Authorities imposed curfews in the capital Washington and other major US

cities Sunday to prevent fresh rioting after anti-racism protestors again

took to the streets to voice their fury at police brutality.

As the Trump administration branded instigators of five nights of rioting

domestic terrorists, there were more confrontations between protestors and

police and fresh outbreaks of looting.

Local leaders appealed to citizens to give constructive outlet to their rage

over the death of an unarmed black man, while night-time curfews were

imposed in cities such as Washington, Los Angeles, Houston and Minneapolis,

which has been the epicenter of unrest.

In the Los Angeles suburb of Santa Monica, looting was reported at stores in

a popular beachside shopping center with people running out of stores that

had been broken into.

Officials in LA -- a city scarred by riots over the police beating of Rodney

King nearly three decades ago -- imposed a curfew from 4:00 pm Sunday until

dawn.

The sight of protesters flooding streets fueled a sense of crisis in the

United States after weeks of lockdowns due to the coronavirus pandemic,

which has seen millions thrown out of work and has disproportionately

affected minority communities.

The closely packed crowds and many demonstrators not wearing masks sparked

fears of a resurgence of COVID-19, which has killed more than 100,000

Americans.

President Donald Trump yesterday blamed the protests on Antifa, a loosely

organized leftist movement that is a frequent target of conservative

critics, and said he would declare the group to be terrorists. His political

advisers believe the move pressures his re-election challenger, former Vice

President Joe Biden, to either agree with the president -- splitting with

the demonstrators -- or side with people that some White House officials

regard as rioters.

SPACEX DELIVERS ASTRONAUTS TO SPACE STATION

SpaceX delivered two astronauts to the International Space Station for NASA

on Sunday, following up a historic liftoff with an equally smooth docking in

yet another first for Elon Musk's company.

With test pilots Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken poised to take over manual

control if necessary, the SpaceX Dragon capsule pulled up to the station and

docked automatically, no assistance needed.

It was the first time a privately built and owned spacecraft carried

astronauts to the orbiting lab in its nearly 20 years. NASA considers this

the opening volley in a business revolution encircling Earth and eventually

stretching to the moon and Mars.

The docking occurred just 19 hours after a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket blasted

off Saturday afternoon from Kennedy Space Center, the nation's first

astronaut launch to orbit from home soil in nearly a decade.

THE REST

========

FINALLY, CHARTERED FLIGHTS FOR CREW CHNAGE ARE APPROVED

In a major breakthrough, the government has allowed ship and crew managers

to send and bring back Indian seafarers on chartered flights to facilitate

staff swap on board ships at foreign ports.

A 189-seater SpiceJet plane took off from the Chhatrapati Shivaji

International Airport in Mumbai last evening for Doha, carrying 63 seafarers

of six companies. From Doha, they will fly out to different destinations to

join ships.

Doha and Colombo will be the hub airports through which Indian seafarers

will be sent to join ships or repatriated after signing off from ships.

Colombo has agreed to allow Indian seafarers to stay for five days if they

are travelling to Colombo to join a ship, and seven days if they are

travelling out of Colombo on a chartered flight, provided flights are

confirmed.

Qatar has permitted seafarers a 22-hour stay at the airport, but the short

stay time is insignificant as Qatar is connected to 39 countries, which are

in turn connected to several other places.

Captain Sanjay Prashar, Managing Director, V R Maritime Services, who pushed

the government for permission to run chartered flights for the shipping

companies, said: "The government has streamlined the procedures for

chartered flights; now, this will be the norm". "It is up to the shipping

companies and their associations to come together and ensure that resources

are fully utilised so that the per ticket cost for travellers is

reasonable," he said.

Due to the delay in getting approvals, the Mumbai-Doha-Mumbai flight on

Sunday will return empty. The chartered flight operators have offered to

carry 180 Indian nationals from Doha free of cost in order to utilise

capacity and resources.

STATES DIFFER ON INTER-STATE TRAVEL, SO CONFUSION PERSISTS

After the Centre allowed lifting of restrictions on inter-state movement of

people, states like Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu, and those in the Northeast

on Sunday decided to continue with the curbs.

Several others like Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana and Telangana announced they

are allowing inter-state movement as part of easing of restrictions under

the ''Unlock-1'' after such travel was banned for over two months due to the

coronavirus lockdown, though some of them have put their own conditions.

The Karnataka government, while allowing inter-state movement, said separate

orders will be issued by Health and Family Welfare Department for people

coming to the state.

The UP government said there is no ban on interstate travel but left it to

the district administrations of Ghaziabad and Noida to take a call on the

movement of people from adjoining Delhi. The state has not restarted its

inter-state bus service.

The Punjab government said there would be no restriction on inter-state

movement of people and it would require no separate permission or e-permit.

In a televised address, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan

said people won''t need e-passes for inter-state travel in personal vehicles

from Monday but a decision on re-starting inter-state public transport will

be taken on June 7.

In neighbouring Chhattisgarh, the state government said inter-state travel

without requisite permission from authorities will continue to remain

prohibited.

The Odisha government said it has initiated the process to pave way for

resumption of inter-state bus services. Letters have been sent to all the

states with which Odisha has bus connectivity seeking their response for

resumption of inter-state services.

The discordant stance taken by the states on the issue is similar to the

confusion that prevailed when the Centre allowed resumption of domestic air

services on May 25, as the states came out with their own set of rules for

passengers.

GUJARAT HIGH COURT NOW PRAISES STATE GOVT: 'WE WOULD HAVE BEEN DEAD'

Just over a week after a division bench of the Gujarat High Court made some

scathing observations on the state government's handling of the Covid-19

situation, a bench headed by Chief Justice Vikram Nath has said that "if the

state government would not have been doing anything, as alleged, then

probably, by now, we all would have been dead".

On May 22, a division bench headed by Justice J B Pardiwala, and including

Justice Ilesh Vora, had said the state government was trying to

"artificially control" the Covid-19 situation and called the Civil Hospital

in Ahmedabad "as good as a dungeon". This bench had been hearing a PIL on

Covid-related issues since May 11.

On May 28, a new bench - headed by Chief Justice Nath and including Justice

Pardiwala - was notified to hear the PIL.

A day later, this bench said: "Our message is loud and clear. All those who

cannot extend their helping hand in this difficult time. have no right to

criticise the functioning of the state government. If the state government

would not have been doing anything, as alleged, then probably, by now, we

all would have been dead. All that we are doing in this litigation is to

keep the state government conscious and active by reminding it of its

constitutional and statutory obligations".

It said that highlighting just the shortcomings of a government "only

creates fear in the minds of people." Saying that its orders "are being

misused for some oblique motive", the court asked everyone to "be very

careful" before commenting on its orders pertaining to the PIL.

GOVT GEARS UP FOR AUTOPSIES OF COVID-19 VICTIMS

India is finally gearing up for autopsies on patients succumbing to Covid-19

infection to understand the biology of the disease and the range of organ

damage it causes.

In all recent meetings of Covid-19 national task forces, the government is

learnt to have nudged the centres of medical excellence in India - AIIMS,

New Delhi, AIIMS-like institutes and PGI Chandigarh - to start conducting

postmortems on Covid-19 deceased and advance the knowledge on

pathophysiology of the infection.

The urgency stems from new knowledge acquired through postmortem

examinations in other countries that show Covid-19, primarily seen as a

respiratory illness, is now involving other organs, including the brain and

heart.

ICMR STANDS BY UTILITY OF HCQ

A new Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) study has found that a high

dosage of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) correlates with a lower Covid-19

infection rate in health care workers. Drawing from a government database of

about 1,000 healthcare workers (HCW) who have tested positive for the

infection, the study also found that there was no significant association

between HCQ and adverse drug reactions.

"Noticeably, six or more prophylactic doses of HCQ used by HCWs has a

remarkably high (>80%) protective effect against SARS-CoV-2 infection. The

potential anti-viral and anti-inflammatory properties of HCQ, together with

the low cost of therapy, excellent oral bio-availability, high tissue

concentrations in the lungs relative to the plasma levels and acceptable

safety profile lend support to this assertion."

The study stands in contrast to a recent WHO decision to halt their HCQ

trial because a study published in medical journal The Lancet found that the

drug had no therapeutic benefits and even increased mortality in Covid-19

cases.

Meanwhile, a letter signed by Shekhar Mande, Director-General, CSIR; Anurag

Agrawal, physician and Director, Institute of Genomics and Integrative

Biology - a CSIR institute - as well as Rajeeva Karandikar, Director,

Chennai Mathematical Institute, says the WHO's decision to suspend trials of

the drug was a "knee-jerk" reaction. "The observational data is sloppy, and

the statistics underlying them is faulty. There is no doubt that it will not

stand the test of time."

INSURANCE REGULATOR STEPS IN FOR STANDARD COVID-19 PRODUCT

With COVID-19 patients running up high bills in private hospitals, the

Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has asked

the General Insurance Council - the apex body of general insurers - to

arrive at a 'standardised cost structure' for treatment of the pandemic.

As of now, private hospitals which have Covid-19 wards charge high rates

with treatment costs ranging from Rs 3-8 lakh. "While government hospitals

do not have adequate bed capacity to deal with patient load, the common man

is unable to bear the expenses of a private hospital and especially a super

speciality for Covid-19 treatment.

The approximate cost for 15 days would be around Rs 3.5 lakhs - Rs 9.5 lakhs

depending on the grade of the hospital and city," the proposal said. There

have been instances when patients received bills of even upto Rs 16 lakh

bill for Covid treatment in private hospitals.

AKSHAY KUMAR DENIES FLYING SISTER, HER FAMILY AMID LOCKDOWN

Actor Akshay Kumar on Sunday dismissed reports that he booked a special

chartered flight for his sister's family amid the coronavirus-led lockdown

and threatened "legal action" against such misinformation.

There were reports that Akshay booked a flight for Alka Bhatia---"his sister

and her two kids, a daughter and a son, and her house help" to Delhi from

Mumbai, in which no one else was allowed to travel. Taking to Twitter,

Akshay dubbed the news as "fake" and said his sister hasn't travelled

anywhere since the lockdown was announced.

"This news about me booking a charter flight for my sister and her two kids

is fake from start to end. She has not travelled anywhere since the lockdown

and she has only one child!" the actor wrote rubbishing the reports.

"Contemplating legal action, enough of putting up with false, concocted

reports," he added.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

You can clutch the past so tightly to your chest, that it leaves your arms

too full to embrace the present. - Jan Glidewell

OFF TRACK

A guy had just returned from two weeks of vacation. He asked his boss for

two more weeks off to get married.

"What!" shouted the boss? "I can't give you more time now. Why didn't you

get married while you were off?"

"Are you nuts?" he replied. "That would have ruined my whole vacation."